Apple of my Eye
by OrangeKisses
Summary: A story of Eros and Psyche and even with jealous future mother in laws, death at every turn, and shaky trust, love is there to catch you even when you fall. A story of how through it all, they somehow miraculously made it. rewritten.
1. Faith, Trust, and Angel Dust

Eros and Psyche, **rewritten_._**

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Now, Aphrodite wasn't one to get jealous usually. Zeus was the one to do that and smite down mortals. But this… this was utterly ridiculous! Aphrodite had just been to her temple, secretly of course, and there had been no offerings! In the guise of an old woman, she'd asked around, and found that some mortal brat had been given all of her flowers! What made her even angrier was that the brat was said to be prettier than she was! Aphrodite paced from her section of Olympus, angry. She was a god for heaven's sakes! Annoyance flashed over her features when a chuckle erupted behind her.

Aphrodite whirled to look behind her and found her son sitting on a chair of clouds, shaking his head. His hair was a mop of shaggy black colored hair, threads of brown mixed in. His eyes were a smiling, cool blue, and his smile stretched over straight white teeth. "Mother, are you fretting so much over a mortal girl that you're turning gray? Tsk, tsk…" Aphrodite touched her black hair then glared at her son's grinning face.

"You'd be angry if some mortal man took over your temple too! A mortal no less…" She huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. Aphrodite was the goddess of love, but at the moment she wanted to crack-open an egg of heart ache on this mortal. She glanced at her son, smiling gracefully as an idea came into her mind. "Oh, Eros… Mother has a favor to ask of you…"

The god looked at his mother warily, unsure of how to interpret her sudden swing in mood. He was tall, over a good six foot, and naked until his waist. A gold and red toga wrapped firmly at his hips and down to his knees. Eros's wings were folded against his back, his pristine white feathers barely moving with the breezes. Golden sandals were wrapped around his feet, barely worn even though he'd had them for hundreds of years. He was the very essence of a teenage boy, maybe around the age of eighteen, but he still carried himself with the arrogance and grace of a man. His wide mouth, very kissable as his mother had put it, frowned a little bit.

"And what, pray tell, is this so called favor?" Warily, Eros watched his mother. He was the god of lust and pleasure, and when he wasn't busy making people fall in love with his arrows, he was by his mother's side. He liked her company, and was no such thing as a mother's boy, as the mortals called them. She was the only woman he could actually relate to and ask advice.

Aphrodite, dressed in a mint green gown with silver jewelry on her body, gathered her son's hands into her smaller ones and grasped them firmly. "I want you to make that girl's life miserable." She said it with such a smile that Eros was surprised that he thought he had heard her wrong.

"Pardon?"

Aphrodite rolled her eyes at her son and lightly flicked his head with her finger and thumb. "My dear, dear boy. She's claimed to be the most beautiful girl. She's even more so beautiful than Aphrodite herself, me! Psyche, as I have been told…" The woman scoffed, green eyes burning with jealous rage. "So, beastly should balance out beautiful. I want you to find the most deformed, ugly, and poor man you can find. Hit them with your dove arrows, and make them fall in love. That should serve as her just rewards… She'll carry the shame of knowing her children will take on his likeness, and carry their pain for being so deformed! No, not a man, a beast! Make her fall in love with the most horrid demon Zeus has ever known! She'll just end up being a lovely bride and a tasty snack..."

Eros lifted a brow and crossed his arms. "Mother, I must say you're getting even more vicious in your old age."

Aphrodite let out a light laugh, her mood considerably higher with her new plan. "I can not interfere with who loves whom. But, my son, you can." She nearly giggled, ecstatic with the new plan. "Now, go on! Go do my bidding."

Eros frowned, his wings shifting to take flight. "On the condition I can do this _my_ way." '_That poor girl is going to suffer enough with out your added input…_'

Aphrodite waved a hand, sitting down on a couch and stretching her legs out. "Yes of course, what ever you want my dear boy. Oh, and take this." She threw a cloak at him, then a silver ring. "The cloak will hide your wings, so you blend in. And the ring will turn you invisible when you so wish it."

Eros nodded, putting the items into a satchel. He bent and kissed his mother on the cheek before taking off, heading for the gates to go to the mortal world.

Aphrodite chuckled to herself, feeling considerably giddy. "This calls for some wine…"

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Psyche sat in her room, hair damp from her bath. The ginger curls dripped water onto the floor, hanging in ringlets down her back to her waist. Her mouth pouted for a moment, showing they were a true bow shape with a light pink color. Psyche's hazel gold eyes looked around her room idly, bored.

Psyche let the robe that covered her damp body fall and wandered over to her closet, pulling out a dress to wear. It was a lovely shade of blue, matching the color of the skies above her home. Psyche tied a matching ribbon around her hair to keep it off of her neck. Her mind raced with random thoughts, her mouth staying in its pout. She was worried as to why no one had asked to marry her yet! Her elder sisters had been married when they turned thirteen, and here she was, nearly eighteen, and with out one marriage proposal. That was enough to worry and preoccupy her mind. Was something wrong with her that no one wanted her? Even her arranged marriage suitors refused her! Deciding that she only needed some good sleep, she closed the curtains to her room and locked her door to fall asleep peacefully. Still, the restless thoughts poked at her mind until she finally drifted off to sleep. She was going to be early for a fresh and more avid start tomorrow. There had to be _someone_ who would marry her, right? She wasn't ugly, she was rich, and she was mild mannered. She knew how to sew, how to cook, and even clean! So why wasn't she already the perfect little bride with a house full of children? Psyche groaned softly, willing herself to go to sleep. Tomorrow. She would find herself a husband tomorrow, if it meant searching everywhere in the land! Settling down to sleep, she peeked out the curtains for a moment, seeing the full moon rising. After ten minutes of counting her breaths she eventually fell asleep under the thought that she was safe, warm, and comfortable.

However, she forgot she had left a window open.

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Eros was more than frustrated. He'd never known the humans to build a home with so many windows. Using the invisible ring, he hovered outside of each window, looking through them all. He had been at this for two hours now, finding the wrong palace in the wrong place. For someone as highly thought of as Psyche, no one knew exactly which kingdom she lived in!! Frustrated at his unsuccessful journey, he spotted an open window and carefully looked into the room. This was the last window he was checking for the night, and if this wasn't it, he was going back to start tomorrow. Spotting someone in the bed, he carefully opened the window more and climbed inside, shutting it behind him. It had rained on one of the islands he had visited earlier that night, causing his black hair to still be wet and damp. Wiping the black strings of hair from his face, the young man stayed by the window as he glanced around. It smelt like a girl lived here if the vase upon vase of flowers said anything.

He spotted a figure asleep in the bed and he carefully crept further inside. If he couldn't search from the outside, he would search from the inside. All the other windows had been locked, but this was the largest manor. Surely the girl lived here, right? He had an ample description, even a painting a wandering artist had done. Using the full moon outside as his light, Eros pulled back the curtain to see the figure in the bed. His hand reached into his quiver and pulled out the strongest arrow he had, holding it like a knife in his hand free hand. With a sudden yank, he pulled the curtain back. He barely noticed when something pinched his lower back, shrugging it off as muscle strain from his wings flying for hours straight.

His hand stilled on the curtain, his hand holding an arrow in his hand, ready to plunge it into her chest if she was his target. Judging by her beauty, she was Psyche. The young god's eyes widened as he watched her sigh softly in her sleep, lying on her back. One arm was raised and resting above her head, almost in a shielding position. Her free hand was clenched in the sheets near her heart. The ginger curls were splayed over her pillow and Eros readied the arrow to attack her. He had already found a beast, and with this arrow, she would fall in love with it and seek it out the next morning. The beast would surely eat the love struck fool.

However, something kept him from actually stabbing her with the arrow. It wouldn't kill her like a normal arrow would; it would only dissolve into her heart. But… he couldn't do it. Shame filled him at just a mere pretty face affecting him so and he raised his hand with the arrow, drawing the curtain back further so he could see better. She shifted in her sleep and her arm moved to cover her heart as her head tilted back a little in the pillow, exposing her throat. Eros steeled himself and readied himself again. His hand moved and darted downward to plunge into her heart. Barely a hair's breadth away he stopped, throwing the arrow aside. It hit the opposite wall and turned to ash, wasted.

He leaned over the bed and his hands clenched the sides, a frown forming on his face. Psyche went on sleeping, unaware of the potential threat looming, literally, right over her. He couldn't do it. Some emotion was keeping him from harming this girl. Eros looked down at his hands for a moment, and then checked his arrows. Odd, he was missing one. Checking his quiver, he saw a small tear had happened in the corner. Panic seized him for a moment and he felt around on his back. He could feel a bit of swelling and swore colorfully to the silent room, hanging his head. He'd pierced himself with his own arrow out of carelessness. He _knew_ he should have taken his other quiver. This one out of deer hide had apparently had enough. Removing the quiver to set it to the side, he knelt down next to Psyche's bed.

He'd just cursed and blessed himself at the same time, on accident. He could feel something worming its way into his heart and he wondered if this is what mortals felt when they fell in love. He shook his head. If he had his owl feathered arrows, he might be able to counter the affects; but he was out of luck. It would be too late by the time he returned to Olympus; the affects would have consumed him. Eros tried to find the silver lining as he bowed his head over the hand that rested halfway off the bed. He had a beautiful girl to consume his thoughts, but his mother's fury would consume him if he didn't do as he was asked. Now he had a problem. He obviously wasn't about to give this woman up, order or not. The arrows worked on feelings, and even a smidgen of attraction could be twisted into outright mad love. Judging by his accelerated heart rate, his mind, body, and soul was quickly adjusting itself into this situation.

Eros sighed and adjusted himself to sit on the side of her bed, looking down at her with a thoughtful frown. The arm that was curled around her head moved to cover her eyes. Eros's tanned hand quietly moved and closed the curtains, making a small amount of noise. He didn't know what to do, or what he could do.

Sighing to himself once, Eros stood. He would come back tomorrow. Glancing down at her face once more, Eros let out a frustrated sound, muffled by one hand. He would leave her a token. Looking down at himself, he found a loose feather from his wings and gently plucked it before laying it on the windowsill above her bed.

Leaning down to her ear, he pushed a curl away and carefully kissed her temple, leaving a small blessing of protection on her. "Sleep well, Psyche." A brief breeze filled the room and he was gone, the curtain shut over her window again and the window locked behind him.

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R&R?

Lt. RaIQ


	2. Inner Workings

There is a link to what Roman baths were like in my profile. Grecian baths were very similar, but reading up on that will give you some insight as to how people bathed.

I had some trouble with this chapter and writing it, being distracted and having little inspiration for it. However, I felt it did need to be updated. I wrote it, and here it is. Just hang tight though, because the rest of the chapters will be _a lot_ better then this short one was. :OK:

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Psyche woke up the next morning to something tickling her face. Groaning softly the young woman scratched her nose. Feeling something soft she cracked open one eye to see a pristine white feather on the pillow next to her. Sometime during the night, Eros's feather had fallen from the sill and to the pillow. Making a face of annoyance, she slowly sat up and stretched languidly, feeling her back muscles loosen.

Yawning loudly, Psyche swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood, picking up the feather. It was as long as her arm! Surprised at how large it was, she looked around the room for someplace to put it. Finding a small vase on her dresser she set the feather into it.

The door to her room opened and her nurse stepped inside with clothing in her arms. Seeing the giant feather she shook her head. The princess was such a strange child. "Hurry up child the baths are waiting for you downstairs! Come on, up, up, up!" Psyche let out a squeal as the nurse slapped her back side like a child, chasing her out the door. Psyche ran through the halls, losing the elderly nurse as she laughed.

She passed through a doorway and crossed the court yard, yelling good morning to the guards. They yelled their retorts back and stood firmly at their posts, shaking their heads. She was the most eager person to bathe in the mornings.

On the other side of the courtyard was the opposite wing of the grand palace and she opened the door, nearly ramming into a scullery maid carrying clean pots back to the kitchen. She hopped on one foot to avoid collision, bouncing off the opposite wall of the hallway before she ran down the hallway. "Sorry!" Running through the hallways, the young woman's breathing was rapid pants as she turned sharply into a hallway that led into a smaller courtyard and into an ornately carved house. Upon entering she bent over and put her hands on her knees, seeing the servants shake their heads. She would rather run then exercise first. "I'm fine, I'm fine."

A servant followed her into the first room of the bathhouse. The bathhouse had multiple rooms. A sauna with heated floors and pipes releasing the furnace's steam, a hot water room to scrub yourself clean, the tepid water room to lounge and relax in, and the cold water room to rinse off and wake up. Next to the sauna was a cool swimming pool of water, a fountain in the middle. Many a day Psyche had spent her time in there with her two older sisters.

Once she had cleaned herself in the hot, warm, and freezing water she was led into the massage room. Wrapping the long towel around her body she laid flat on the table, feeling hands begin to work on her back. Psyche let out a groan when the hands worked wonders on her back, moving lower to her lower back. Her back arched as the kink that had been plaguing her came undone and she lay like putty on the table.

As Psyche dozed in bliss with the masseuse on her back, Eros was watching from the sky light. The ring made him invisible but he still cast a shadow on the warming roof tops because of the sunlight. Making a face of displeasure he crouched on the window frame to the sky light, watching from above. He felt like a peeping tom for watching her, but he couldn't resist. He had wanted to talk to her that morning, but she'd gotten up before he'd even arrived. After searching the grounds he'd heard someone mention she was at the baths and he'd found her drying off from her bath. She looked flushed and refreshed, making him gulp softly.

"This is so insane!" He growled in frustration as he covered his hands with his face, scrubbing them up and down over his skin roughly. This was going to drive him insane. Lusting and loving after a girl who didn't even know he existed was going to kill him! Settling on the roof, he glanced down when he heard a moan and saw that she was almost like putty on the table.

He watched the masseuse, a portly woman with gray hair, as she worked rugged hands over the young woman's back, melting the stress away. Her hands added perfumes and oils and Eros watched the motion move Psyche's skin up and down as the oil was lathered and worked into her skin.

When was the last time he'd gotten a massage like that? Eros honestly couldn't remember anything except for the back rubs his mother had given him when he was a child. That was a very brief few years before he'd turned into a manly youth with a job to do. Eros would have to get one of those 'massages' sometime.

He looked down through the window after shaking himself from his daydreams to see that Psyche was no where to be seen. He stood up rapidly, sliding down the roof and to the ground. His wings caught him from the two story fall and he landed softly by the front doors, seeing the princess was properly dressed and was walking back across the small yard. He hurried forward and walked next to her, watching her silently as she talked and laughed with the maids that were following her. They walked next to her like equals as they told stories and giggled like young women should. Eros felt his curiosity wind up even more about the young woman he was stalking.

He shook his head rapidly. He was _not_ stalking her! He was… merely observing. Nodding to himself, Eros followed the girls, slipping behind them when they shut the door to Psyche's room.

"As I was saying, I got engaged! It's to Agene from the kitchens. He's the head chef and he's so _strong_!!" Psyche scooted over as one of the two maids that had followed her sat on the bed and they watched her with rapt attention as the maid wrapped her arms around herself dramatically.

"Agene holds you like you're the only woman in the entire world. He has a bit of stubble on his chin, and it's agonizing when it scrapes my skin when he kisses me. Part of me wants him to shave it off, but he looks so dangerous and mysterious with it that I can't bear to ask him to shave it off."

Psyche giggled as her friend's face turned dreamy and she flopped backwards onto the bed to lie on her back. "Lady Psyche, Agene is _so_ amazing. He had so much muscle on him from working hard that he makes rocks look soft."

Psyche let out a hum of approval and Eros looked down at his toned stomach, patting it silently with his fingers. His skin wasn't rock hard. He frowned a little, listening in on their conversation as he stayed on the other side of the room to watch them. Even if he was invisible, he could still be bumped into.

Psyche let out a wistful sigh, propping her head up on her chin. "I wish I was engaged. I would want my fiancée to kiss me every day so he would never tire of me. I would want him to be mysterious and tall, but love me for who I am. His arms would hold me like Agene holds you, like I am his only. He would sleep in my bed every night and never stray…" She frowned a little in thought.

"I heard about Athene's problem yesterday. She's pregnant but she found that her husband was having an affair with two scullery maids at the same time. She's so upset that she's ill. I hope she doesn't lose the baby…" The worry that crossed over her face made Eros's heart twist a little. He would find this Athene woman and hit her husband with the strongest love arrow he had so he never cheated again. Anything that bothered Psyche needed to be stopped. However, her words had him considering. He could be mysterious, if he tried hard enough.

His muscles could use a work out and he could become stronger and like a rock. He already knew he would never cheat on her with anyone else. His love for her wouldn't permit him to do so. Mentally checking off these things in his mind, he shifted to stand and leave.

Both of the maids looked at Psyche and smiled. They were sisters with short black hair and brown eyes, freckles dusted over their tanned skin. One was taller than the other and wider, while the other was tiny and soft but fragile. "So, Lady Psyche… who's caught your fancy?"

Eros's head snapped up from his inner musings and he shifted from the chair he had been sitting on to be crouching in front of the dresser next to her bed. He avoided her swinging foot carefully, looking up from his spot on the floor to Psyche's face, holding his breath.

Psyche shook her head as her damp ginger curls framed her face. "No one as of yet. The prince of Athens was to be my betrothed, but upon meeting me he backed out of our marriage. He said that I was so beautiful that someone would start a war over me." She frowned thoughtfully, her hands tracing her face.

The two maids sent her pitying looks, murmuring to her to not give up hope yet. Eros let out a breath he wasn't aware he had been holding and crept out of the room, using a hallway window to take to the air. An idea was spinning into his mind like a web and he knew just who to go to. Her family would eventually consult an oracle, would they not? The closest and most reliable oracle was Apollo's Oracle Delphi, whose visions were never wrong.

Perhaps he could convince Apollo to give the family a vision in his favor… Winging rapidly to Olympus, Eros quickly sought out Apollo. He would have to be swift if he wanted to get his plan in motion fast enough.

Trusting Psyche to be safe for a few hours he disappeared into a crown of clouds, heading for Olympus.

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It's short because I have little inspiration for this chapter. I think that music makes the chapter, and I've had such a hard time finding a song that I've been distracted all day.

I know what I'm writing for the next chapter, and its theme is on the mysterious side. So if you have a calming but upbeat song that fits that, let me know over a review or a PM.

OK


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